Thu Hà

The ancient royal city of Huế is not only well known for its history, royal dishes and incredible tastes, but also more simple and popular fig dishes, which carry their own rich characteristics, said original Huế resident, Nguyễn Thị Hà. 

The fruit of the fig tree has been closely connected to Huế people for generations, so it is now an indispensable part of Huế culinary life and culture, said Hà, adding that although it is not native, the tree has adapted well to the local terrain and climate in this central land. It has become a familiar sight with its ornate leaves adorning local gardens, pagodas and along river banks.

“Huế people place great importance on this kind of tree for its closeness and values it brings back to them,” Hà said.

Figs play an important role in the local kitchens, as abundant and diverse fruits for everything from a simple rustic snack to a key ingredient in popular dishes for a local meal or to serve at a party to invite guests, she said.

With its mild acrid flavour, fig can combine with many different ingredients to cook into many traditional dishes such as fig salad with pork ears, sour soup with fig, braised fig with pork, to create fig jam, mixed with shrimp and pork topped with herbs or as a soup with pork trotters.

Despite a lot of changes in modern life and people's eating habits, the fig has retained its important position in Huế people’s hearts because it both tastes wonderful and also reminds people of the flavours of their native village, of their childhoods and of beautiful memories, said Hà.

She told Việt Nam News that mixed fig or locally known as vả trộn is among the most popular fig dishes. Ingredients to make the dish are figs, shrimp, pork, coriander, roasted sesame and peanuts. The mixture is a lovely genuine dish, stimulating foodies’ taste buds and they are not able to stop enjoying it, said Hà.

To make an original Huế mixed fig dish, you need to choose figs which are not green, but are just ripe and they need to be boiled down and simmered to take away any toughness but to keep the fruit firm. Dipping sauce should be carefully made so as for it to have harmonious taste between sour, hot, salt and sweet, because these are the key Huế characteristics of its mixed fig dish, said Hà.

Moreover, Huế people often enjoy eating another mixed fig dish, with a tang of sourness with the sweetness of shrimp and pork together with grilled rice paper, again a bit hit with foodies, being both fragrant and crispy, a perfect meeting of flavours and totally unforgettable, Hà said.

This mixed fig dish is available at all Huế corners, from popular shops along the side of the road, right through to luxury restaurants and hotels. A great and tasty dish, with an affordable price, has become a beloved plate of not only locals but also guests and visitors including foreigners to the city, said Hà.

This dish is best eaten with rice, vermicelli and served alongside nem lụi (Huế lemongrass skewers with grilled pork sausage or meatball) and fermented pork skin (or nem tré), she added. — VNS

To sample the dish, guests and travellers can visit a number of restaurants and locations in Huế including: -    Đông Ba Market at 2 Trần Hưng Đạo Street, Phú Hòa Ward -    Bên Ngự Market at Bến Nghé Road, Phú Hội Ward -    Tre Restaurant at 15 Nguyễn Huệ Street, Vĩnh Ninh Ward -    Mệ Vui Stall at 35 Trần Hưng Đạo Street, Phú Hòa Ward  -    Cồn Hến Restaurant at 10B/18 Kiệt 72 Nguyễn Phúc Nguyên Road, Vĩ Dạ Ward